Single-row fertilizer applicator



Jan. 3, 1950 w. J. SCHROEDER 2,493,599

S INGLE-ROW FERTILIZER APPLICATOR Filed June 10, 1947 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Jan. 3, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,493,599 SINGLE-ROW FERTILIZER APPLICATOR 'Walter J. Schroeder; Cincinnati, Ohio Application June 10, 1947, Serial No. 753,714 Claims. (01. 22 2-476) This invention relates to a device for applying fertilizer in a convenient and proper manner to growing plants and other vegetation. The device is suited particularly for use in the care of home gardens or other tracts of moderate size.

An object of the invention is to provide an applicator for fertilizer substances, which automatically effects side-dressing of the growing vegetation in such manner as to feed the root systems economically and without danger of burning or otherwise injuring the foliage.

Another object is to provide a side-dressing implement of the character referred to, in which the flow of fertilizing substance leaving a hopper or reservoir is steady and reliably constant, and the volume thereof always under the control of the operator.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an implement which is handy and convenient to use, the operation thereof being facilitated by reason of its simplified light-weight construction, and compact disposition of constituent parts. I

Another object isto produce the implement above referred to at a low manufacturing cost, using readily available materials which are comparatively inexpensive and easily formed by means of simple machinery and unskilled labor.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a rear elevational view of the applicator, part being broken away to show interior construction.

Fig. 2 is a fragmental side elevational view showing the device in non-use position, and supported upon its stand.

Fig. 3 is a side perspective view showing the device in use for side-dressing a row of growing plants with fertilizer.

Common practice with gardeners and nurserymen in feeding plants and other vegetation, has been to either broadcast a fertilizing material over the ground, or to locally distribute the material between the rows ofplants. In some instances, it was desirable also toplace a limited quantity of fertilizer in the vicinity of each plant, and while this practice was relativel economical from the standpoint of cost of fertilizer, it was also very laborious and, for that reason, costly of performance. It is the purpose of the present invention to avoid the waste of time and materials resulting from the old methods of fertilizing the soil about the plants, while at the same time eliminating the bodily fatigue ordinarilyattending such work.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, the device of the invention is seen to comprise a substantially cylindrical tubular casing or container 5, reduced in diameter in the direction of its lower end. The container may be constructed of sheet metal or other suitable material, in one or more parts. The open top 6 may be reinforced by; a rigid band '5', if desired, and may serve as a charging opening receptive of fertilizing material or the like in the form of powder, granules, or possibly a liquid. Material introduced through the top opening normally rests upon a bottom member 8, which preferably is tilted or inclined to facilitate gravitation of the material toward a discharge port or aperture 9 formed in the side wall of the container near the lower end thereof. The lower end may be capped, as by means of a disc HI welded or otherwise suitably fastened in place beneath the bottom member 8.

As indicated by Fig. 3 of the drawing, the implement is adapted to be rolled along the surface of the earth, parallel to a row of plants i2, While discharging fertilizer from port 9 as indicated at l3. Accordingly, it is provided with a handle I land roller means 55, the latter being preferably in the form of a single wheel or disc mountedfor rotation upon an axle IS. The axle may be'suported between brackets l! welded or otherwise fixedly secured to opposite sides of the container, at opposite ends of a diameter. The hand grasp means or handle 14, in order to be properly accessible for operation of the device, is located slightly above the top of the container, at approximate waist height above ground level. The handle may be fixed to the container top by welding or otherwise securing its spaced arms l8 thereto.

The particular shape of the handle is relatively immaterial, and may take various form. So also, the wheel i5 is subject to alteration or choice of design, and when necessary the Wheel may be flattened at intervals upon its periphery to jog the container as it is advanced over the ground, thereby to encourage free fiow of fertilizing material through the discharge port 9. It will ordinarily be unnecessary to agitate the material in this manner, however, since a steady and con stant flow is ensured by the inclined bottom member 8 directing the material toward the discharge port.

The release of fertilizing material through the discharge port preferably is to be governed by a suitable valve or gate, which in turn may be controlled or actuated by the user of the implement. As herein disclosed, the valve comprises a plate l9 of metal or other suitable material, guided for vertical shifting movement over the port 9 to expose the port or any selected portion thereof.

The valve plate may slide in spaced parallel guides 20-40, flanged or rabbetted to accommodate the parallel side edges of the plate. Guides 2B20 may be weldedmr othenwise mountediupon the wall of the container, flanking the port 9 and 10 extending above it a sufficient distance to retain the valve plate, in the fully open position of the}; valve. The'valve plate may be Varchedglongitudinally, to coincide with the curvature of the container wall. a

Control means for the valve may comprise a flexible wire or cable 2| having itslower endattached to the valve plate It at an anchoragestud; 22, While at the upper end the flexible wire or though the finger grip may vary in form," it is re s i ese .v a loop y loa d theme;

len it r t e? and. to ve l s als ,gras lla ed pla l atig v suallx. i a valve platepventh,

dicatonand, ng

'. er. n" ar em nt.

Thelflexible'c'a le r wir e zl 'is longitudinally shiftable; wanna flexible orrigidtube. 26 mounted,closely adjacent to-the containenwau by means 155 of Ibracketsfl'! and 1B .welded, riveted, or other;- wise -fiXed,-to ..the, wal l of the container A fer-,- rule} overlying... the ,bracket 21 I and indicated.- at

b I g .which mightcatc 5,.t e g y to savag rliner..

s, he t cv at Port} yt e n t frame having spaced arms 3 I the free ends of which are attached to the container, or to the arms H, at the locations 3232. The attachment at these locations may be effected in any suitable manner, as by means of welds or rivets. To add stability to the stand or support, the crossbar 33 thereof may be extended in length, by flaring the arms 3|--3l downwardly and outwardly as indic ated, ;up 9n F'lg. 1.' The armss-fl of the stand pro'ject -forwardly of wheell5,:and downwardly toward ground level, in the direction of normal advancement of the applicator when in use,,,as indicat ed ppgn Fig. 3. The stand thereby serves as a bumperor diverter for the foliage of vegetation, or, plants in the advanced stage of growth therebypreventing the Wheel from damaging the plant's wfiile at the same time the stand displaces the foliage sufiiciently to preclude application of fertilizer ther eon. This same funca-is a by t a bra ket 1 and, in these th jcvl ndr q form of cont p 'v ,hi'ghly aqy r a'gepu orner's .o p o ec i ns V a tjs emsp i ia e and 'infii tiniuiry th r g he app iq ten f ad,- vanced twee'mt 1c, ,1 orjplaiit .v hje..va1ve. mec anism for the. m reas dismoun ed-s b: anfifillxfigsh with, a d ithgy in ical containeii From the f gin git i 11 pheannreciated hat,

the dey ice of the tion co ti'tutes a handy a platens, The ,e, ls'dm yl as ii iatn v ne.v lr ular Qooritinujous ,hills M9 f rt lir ler,v abstain... c about trees, shrub ery an dthe' like, with com plete -contrgl. thgamolmt of. mate a1? dis c r ed. I Wile re f g ofrlan s and of thejuppeiiendo fthetube. ria l at' a,l

fully .and accurately; where it will do -the most65 feratilizer material issues from the dischaQrge pore finger grip 23 atthe side ofthe containenwhre} 29, mayrbe anchoredhtothe,.bracket;for support th t g 5 in 4the fe rliz'mgymatef l A Yel nd, to thei wa si e .g q ha ihewhe l... may be advanced'along the surface of the earth' at ,sare ,distanges, from tr e plantsi whi gw t h h e of fertilig'eriseffected; t ems.,whe c. i ql l feed the t ted r'above, the a d i eclud th. the! p ant. mas ns-tr As is. evident. from .the,, several drawing; Iviews, thereis a slight .tw istor spiral dispositions of tube, 26, about aIportion of theLcontainen. This; is made necessarythe fact that themvalve and port 9 are peculiarlyfllocated,upon the device, to effect discharge of fertilizer ,materialirearwardly and to one s ideo'fthe wheel, l'5, for, side=dressingith e plantsor yegetationtto be fed; The.ternr .fside-- dressingi". aslused -herein," means the, application v of .fertilizer' alongside .Lthe plant 85 0f a row, at .a J59 safedistance of p'ne prrtwo. inches fromthe stems high column of the{fertilizer being 'placedatgal ow elevationls'uch v In N, lfi that'inone of,. twmay, fall upon an i P -c t g, of the substance isutil'izd'toadvantag plant foliage, Byrso lacingihe fertilizerfcareaz tai i ausqeagxrangfl nnitgrmwflgw thrQugH-thev s bareer re The inclined 'bot t'om membrljidire good for theiplant, a substantial economyQ-is ,ef fected and the maximumyield ofrthe crop is as-; sured' By means of the present invention ac-w, curacy v,of v-application is attained, without extra care or. effort on -.the; part .of ,the operator; by. 60 mere advancement ofthe applicator alongside the plant row at a proper -.distance therefrom as the} at a rate predetermined. by-the-operatqrj, The; twist v of. the tube,;-26 results from. .locating the as the valve and discharge port areilocatied toward therear of the side; but @not directly beneath it in line with w heel I 55.

might be replaced-with a'pair smitten, and if desired, the open top fi 0f the 'container'might-be furnishe'dgwith asuitable caix-orlidJ Such aT 'cap- Itis desirable th t the fe 1%i ;iliz( rv applicator be= v or lid;however willrlbeioundeunnecessaryifthe provided with a stand or supporting member, to 1 maintain the; device-in van upright position of se. as diq t dbst'fia ch a stand device is lprovidedi-withua stand as illnstratedlup onthedrawing V It.;i nWmQlntfillsa dqsthazta hezdischarge port t pm it5 J FMZQL QLEIIaHY; byg the.- .a atn-.. mav-.- sal etedllas apgawitheumeparting from-71.. '30, and may consist of a substantially U-shaped 7 the invention, and the guide means for the valve is subject to slight change in the interest of economy of manufacture and assembly.

What is claimed is:

1. A fertilizer applicator to side-dress growing vegetation, comprising in combination, an elongate slender container having an upper charging opening substantially at waist elevation, and a lower end including a discharge port to release a continuous flow of fertilizer from the container, a rigid steering handle on the container near the upper charging opening, and a single earth-contacting wheel including means on the container for rotationally supporting the wheel substantially in line with the container axis and beyond the discharge port, whereby the container may be inclined and freely tilted at any angle above the point of contact of the wheel with the earth, the wheel and the handle both being substantially in line with the major axis of the container to provide for steerage of the applicator by merely twisting the handle in a plane which is normal to said axis, the discharge port being located to one side of the wheel plane for discharging fertilizer laterally of the direction of travel of the applicator.

2. A fertilizer applicator to side-dress growing vegetation, comprising in combination, a tubular slender container having an upper end substantially at waist elevation, and a lower end having a discharge port to release a continuous flow of fertilizer laterally from the container, a single earth-contacting wheel and means on the lower end of the container including a fixed axle located beyond the discharge port, for rotationally supporting the wheel substantially in line with the container axis, whereby the container is rendered freely inclinable and tiltable at any angle above the point of contact of the wheel with the earth, a rigid steering handle fixed near the upper end of the container, to be grasped for so inclining and tilting the container and freely rotating the container on its own major axis for steering purposes, as the container is advanced over the surface of the earth incident to rotation of the wheel, the discharge port being located to one side of the wheel plane for discharging fertilizer laterally of the direction of travel of the applicator.

3. A fertilizer applicator to side-dress growing vegetation, comprising in combination, a tubular slender container having an upper end substantially at waist elevation, and a lower end having a discharge port to release a continuous flow of fertilizer laterally from the container, a single earth-contacting wheel, and means on the lower end of the container including a fixed axle located beyond the discharge port, for rotationally supporting the wheel substantially in line with the container axis, whereby the container is rendered freely inclinable and tiltable at any angle above the point of contact of the wheel with the earth, a rigid steering handle fixed near the upper end of the container, to be grasped for so inclining and tilting the container and freely rotating the container on its own major axis for steering purposes, as the container is advanced over the surface of the earth incident to rotation of the wheel, the discharge port being located to one side of the wheel plane for discharging fertilizer latercontinuous flow of fertilizer laterally from the container, an earth-contacting wheel, and means on the lower end of the container including a fixed axle located beyond the discharge port, for rotationally supporting the wheel directly beneath the container, with the container axis lying in the plane of the wheel, whereby the container is rendered freely inclinable and tiltable at any angle above the point of contact of the wheel with the earth, a rigid transverse steering handle on the container located at waist height above the upper end of the container, and arranged to be grasped for so inclining and tilting the container and rotating the container on its own major axis for steering purposes as the container is advanced over the surface of the earth incident to rotation of the wheel, the steering handle being located substantially upon the container axis and traversing the upper end of the container, the discharge port being located to one side of the container and the wheel plane, for discharging fertilizer laterally of the direction of travel of the applicator.

5. A fertilizer applicator to side-dress growing vegetation, comprising in combination, a tubular slender container having an upper charging opening substantially at waist elevation, and a lower discharge port to release a continuous flow of fertilizer laterally from the container, a rigid steering handle on the container above the charging opening and extending laterally across the charging opening, and a single earth-contacting wheel including an axle and a bracket on the container, located beyond the discharge port, for rotationally supportin the wheel directly beneath the container, whereby the container is rendered freely inclinable and tiltable at any angle above the point of contact of the wheel with the earth, the plane of the wheel and the-handle both being substantially in line with the major axis of the container to provide for steerage of the applicator by merely twisting the handle in a plane which is normal to said axis, the discharge port being located to one side of the wheel plane for dis-' charging fertilizer laterally of the direction of travel of the applicator, and the container being reduced in size in the region of its wheeled end, to avoid interference with the foliage of plants undergoing treatment.

WALTER J. SCHROEDER.

file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Riefl Nov. 17, 1925 Number 

